A Pebble Beach Pilgrimage

Every year in August, pilgrims from around the world flock to the picturesque coastal town of Carmel-by-the-Sea in northern California for the Monterey Car week – a celebration of automotive culture. The Monterey peninsula, a short drive from San Francisco, plays host to numerous independent automotive events during this period, the climax of which is the famous Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.

The Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance started in 1950  as a last-minute addition to the Pebble Beach road races – ‘a social gathering intended to add a bit of style to the much-anticipated main event’.  Over the years, the podium at Pebble Beach has become widely acclaimed by the most prestigious competition for historically significant automobiles.

Making my way down the stairs of ‘The Lodge’ I was greeted with a magnificent morning view. The rolling greens of the iconic 18th fairway, that cliff into the Pacific, were framed by the Santa Cruz mountains beyond the calm waters of the cove, with the scent of the ocean in the air. The turf was graced with some of the rarest and most exquisite automobiles from yesteryear, accompanied by a suitably fashionable crowd to rival Milan during fashion week.

Unbeknownst to the harbour seals, pelicans and the plethora of marine life that live just beyond the fairway, their quaint neighbourhood on this day, the 18^th of August 2024, became the focal point of the world’s motoring community, destined to go down in automotive restoration history as a day of great significance!

I had dreamt of this moment for the better part of my adult life; although it was my first time here, navigating the venue was easy, owing to the incalculable hours of concours media consumed over the years.

As I wandered through the rows of meticulously presented vehicles, I was struck by their sheer variety and beauty. From racing Ferraris to Range Rovers from Her Majesty’s stables, from European grand tourers to a surprise introduction of a new category dubbed the ‘V’ Class, each car was a star in its own right.

Pebble Beach golf course is renowned for its challenging fairways, often requiring precise shots around sand traps and undulating terrain. The sand wedge, pitching wedge, lob wedge, and gap wedge are essential clubs for navigating these conditions. This year, the course would go on to be associated with another kind of wedge!

History was made as the 2024 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance featured two dedicated classes (V1 early & V2 late models) for wedge-shaped concept cars and prototypes, a first of its kind! It was certainly unusual to see such sharp angular lines of the aforementioned ‘Wedge wonders’ side by side, pre-war dames with curvy fenders and extravagant chrome radiators topped with ornaments crafted by the likes of René Lalique. Love them or hate them, you simply can’t ignore them.

These seemingly galactic vehicles are an integral part of world automotive history and the preservation of these rare beauties for future generations are of paramount importance. I was delighted to see the visionaries of the concours that made this landmark decision to include them. The 1970 Lancia Stratos HF Zero Bertone Coupé (Featured in the Retro mobile Poster) and the 1979 Aston Martin Bulldog, both owned by Phillip Sarofim, would go on to win the early and late wedge classes respectively.

India is known for its rich automotive history, largely due to the passion of Indian royalty for cars. It was wonderful to see my country being well represented and the tradition being carried on by modern-day enthusiasts. The award for the Rolls-Royce considered most in the tradition of Lucius Beebe was won by Rajiv Kehr’s Mulliner-bodied 1931 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Continental.

Nitin & Nishanath Dossa’s 1939 Lagonda V12 Drophead Coupé stood third in Class – the late European Classic Touring Class. Madan Mohan Yadav’s 1932 Lancia Astura Pinin Farina Cabriolet was also a worthy entrant in the Early European Classic Touring category.

One car in particular caught my eye: the 1948 Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport Saoutchik Fastback Coupé shown by Robert Kudela, of the Czech Republic. Visuals of this beauty had been painted in my mind the day before by none other than Peter Larson, an authority on period French cars and coachbuilders. A member of the selection committee at Pebble Beach, Peter also serves as a judge in almost every prominent concours around the world. He had described the car as being a pristine, meticulously restored work of art. Teal paired with chocolate (a bold choice if you ask me), the front grille louvres detailed in alternating base colours, every interior trim accented in gold; and there it was before me, Peter's words echoing in my head as my eyes glanced over every detail. In the words of my American automotive friends, this car was “Cherry”. Talbot-Lagos are no stranger to the podium at Pebble Beach, and I was confident, what I saw before me was the Best of Show ’24. But destiny had other plans.

The posters of the event often hint at who might win top prizes. While exploring the venue, I encountered the British artist Tim Layzell, who was commissioned to create not one but three unique posters for this year. These posters showcased various classic cars, including two Maseratis, a 1914 Packard, and a Lancia Stratos, depicting the Concours, the Tour and the Wedge classes respectively. The posters this year failed to predict who would go on to win Best of Show!

The Award Ceremony was flagged off a little after lunch. The champions among champions were called up beside the podium as crowds of people lined the barricade to watch. As I watched winners of each class being called up, I took a moment to reflect on my journey with historic vehicles – from a young boy in India, trying to memorise the cubic capacities of antiquated vehicles from a pocket book to now sitting close enough to the ramp to see one’s reflection on the winning cars as they drove off the podium.

Once all the class winners were announced, there was a dramatic pause. You could hear the chatter of people speculating on the outcome and discussing favourites. After much anticipation, three fabulous cars were called up: a 1934 Packard 1108 Twelve LeBaron Sport Phaeton (highlighting the marque’s 125th anniversary); a 1970 Lancia Stratos HF Zero Bertone Coupé (from the Wedge class) and a 1948 Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport Saoutchik Fastback Coupé (the aforementioned personal favourite). Just then, an unexpected announcement was made: “Could Fritz Burkard and his 1934 Bugatti come up to the winners’ circle please?”

Moments later, in visible disbelief, a Swiss man and his elated mechanic were seen driving up in his nearly 100-year-old, unrestored Bugatti.  Covered in battle scars in all the right places this two-seater sports car made its way through the crowd of perplexed onlookers and parked alongside three immaculately restored class winners. Could it be true? Could an unrestored vehicle stake claim to the throne?

As the drums rolled and curiosity piqued, the golden envelope was opened, announcing: ‘The 73rd Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance Best of Show winner is the 1934 Bugatti sports car from the Pearl Collection!”

The unassuming matte black racing machine was back on the podium 90 years after its first win at the Belgian Grand Prix in 1934! As the car drove up the ramp amidst fireworks and confetti, the ecstatic owner, Fritz Burkard, kissed, tapped and slapped the cowl of his racer, throwing his hat off like a cowboy!

The making of this story began almost 25 years ago in 1999, when FIVA (Fédération Internationale des Véhicules Anciens) envisioned an award for vehicles that had been preserved in their original condition as much as possible. This ground-breaking decision by the committee at the 73^rd Pebble Beach Concours was a departure from the traditional norm, where the most pristine and perfectly restored vehicles often took centre stage. This marked a shift towards recognising unrestored cars and highlights a growing appreciation for the authenticity and historical significance of vehicles that have been preserved in their original state.

For me, the cherry on the cake was when I walked up to the podium once the formalities were complete and sheepishly approached Fritz Burkard, the legendary Swiss collector, expecting nothing but a formal exchange of pleasantries. I asked him: “Could I please have a photo with you to share with India?" To my delight and surprise, I was greeted not by ‘a best of show winner’, but by a friendly, fellow enthusiast!

Even in his winning moment, sensing my apprehension he encouraged me to ease up by saying: “Let's see some excitement?!” I held out my thumbs, gesturing my appreciation and controlled excitement as Fritz smiled with the Bugatti in the background! He had not only won the Best of Show that day, but his humility had touched my heart. I was grateful that my Pebble Beach companion, Mohammed Luqman Ali Khan, was quick to capture this rare moment!

It was indeed a spectacular day – for the motoring community at large, for the future of automotive history, and unquestionably for me. On the podium Fritz was heard repeatedly saying: “I don't believe it!” He was speaking for me too.